The trial of two Iranian nationals accused of spying for Iran’s regime is set to begin Thursday morning at a court in Westminster, London.
The defendants, Nematollah Shahsavani and Alireza Farasti, are charged with carrying out surveillance and gathering intelligence on targets linked to the Jewish community in the British capital.
According to the indictment, the pair operated between July and August of last year in North Finchley and Edgware-areas known for their sizable Jewish populations.
London’s Metropolitan Police stated that the “foreign intelligence service" referenced in the case is Iran, warning that the suspects’ alleged activities may have directly supported Tehran’s intelligence network operating in the UK and posed a potential threat to Jewish residents.
The two were arrested roughly two weeks ago following a covert investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism unit. Two additional individuals were also questioned as part of the probe but were later released without charges.